When searching for highlights in a Lakers campaign gone wrong, one embraces celebrations at any juncture.

The Lakers welcome the Bucks Tuesday night, and just maybe, the yuck stops there.

Actually, the wobbly Lakers showed a Sunday spark, in defeating the Cavaliers, 113-93, to snap a six-game losing streak and keeping Cleveland under 100 points.

The latter put fans in a fiesta mood and remaining in their seats. They're treated to tacos if a rival fails to reach the century mark.

So in a bland season, a little hot sauce goes with a hyped squad which has been tough to swallow.

But this being Los Angeles, most everyone loves drama, a soap opera, a team with a knack for drawing news off the court as well as on it.

If that vein, the Lakers are undefeated.

The uneven Lakers are on their third coach and second season.

So says No. 3 mentor Mike D'Antoni as he flipped the page on the first 36 games, and can you blame him?

D'Antoni – and yes, there's a 'D' in the coach's name, despite the Lakers' shoddy work on the defensive end – christened Sunday as the season opener. They responded with a victory, but it's the foes on-deck which must be noted.

The Bucks are visiting, but that's not the marquee match up many are panting for. It's the Heat on Thursday, a game at Staples Center that was circled, highlighted and underlined since the schedule was released.

Trouble is the Lakers (16-21) are languishing in third place in the Pacific Division, 12 games behind L.A.'s other team. The Heat (24-11) are first in the Southeast, a locale the Lakers are accustomed to owning out west.

Still, it's not too late for the Lakers, a belief that grows if Gasol returns quickly, and despite Howard shouldering a torn labrum and Nash closer to All-AARP than All-NBA.

Plus the Lakers have a relatively healthy Bryant, and his league-leading 30 points per game.

“One thing I learned from playing here: Never doubt Kobe,'' said Cavs' forward Luke Walton, a former Laker and current Rancho Santa Fe resident.

Walton's Sunday words to the media came with first-hand knowledge that while the Lakers are down, they're not out.

“They obviously have themselves in a pretty big hole, but I still wouldn't be surprised if they figured things out and make a late-season run to get into the playoffs,'' he said.

That run got a push Sunday, although beating the likes of the Cavs used to be a certainty, instead of a chance for numerous back slaps.

But among the Lakers' problems are not defeating teams, like themselves, on the wrong side of the ledger. The Lakers have lost to the likes of the Kings (15-23), Magic (13-23) and those same Cavs (9-20).